Textthebutler

Services and delivery

public limited liability company

Belgium

https://textthebutler.be/

Comply each request through a text, from June on 24/7 available.

Guillaume Bocksruth, co-founder Textthebutler

Yoshi Janssens

Maximiliaan Devloo, Guillaume Bocksruth, Peter Janssens

Summary

Textthebutler is a startup that enables anyone to have a personal butler. When registered as lady or lord you can send any request through text message to your personal butler. This company takes care of any wish of their customers. The concept is very simple. You send your butler a request, he/she responds with a price proposal and once you accept, the request is being executed.

Background

Texthebutler started when Maximiliaan saw some German TV-shows about Gobutler. At the same time an American TV program showed Magic. Both have the concept of having a butler for anyone. Maximiliaan figured that this concept wasn’t yet present on the Belgian market and began thinking about starting Textthebutler.

With this idea they participated some contests of Startit@KBC and Telenet Kickstart. Maximiliaan started with his own financial resources while both Startit@KBC and Telenet Kickstart acted as an accelerator offering office space, services and advice.

Mission

Textthebutler aims at offering a service for the same price as the price of the requested products in the shops.

Vision

Textthebutler aims at offering a service for the same price as the price of the requested products in the shops.

Values

Satisfaction, reliability, striving for a service at the same price as the products in the shops.

Business Model

Textthebutler started a new business model, however those concepts already existed in other countries. They worked out a business model without the knowledge about the existing business models of the already existing companies.

People that are registered a ladies or lords can send their requests through text message to Textthebutler. They immediately start searching for the best price and quality in order to fulfill the wish. First they will consult partners which already have proven their reliability. The requested goods will be delivered at home and the proposed price will be paid by the customer. The first time they pay via a secured link. Then they can register their bank card and after that, the payment becomes automatic.

Textthebutler will consult prices, ratings, reviews, etc. for each request. After this a butler-fee proposal is made to the client. A request will be executed from the moment a proposal is accepted and the butler-fee will be paid as agreed. Sending requests to Textthebutler is free. Textthebutler has no fixed margins, it depends on which product or service is requested. (Textthebutler, 2016)

As already mentioned, Textthebutler got some help from Startit@KBC and Telenet Kickstart. But also Jelle Van Roosbroeck, a teacher from the Artevelde College University offered some guidance.

Textthebutler just launched last week. However already 1500 people registered, they launched with 3 clients and will increase this number gradually. They did this to avoid an excess of demands.

Growth

From July 2015 onwards they grew to 1500 registered ladies and lords and they want to keep growing. First they want to grow in Ghent and surroundings, then in Belgium.

Customers

Textthebutler is here for every person in Belgium who has a cellphone. They chose for text messaging as a communication method because this is accessible for more people. For example, elder people would have difficulties working with an application and most of them don’t even own a smartphone.

Competitors

In Belgium there is no competition yet, but some people are working on a similar concept. So the competition remains indirect for now, but future apps could become direct competitors.

Conclusion

Treats for Textthebutler are other apps that will launch in the future, clients who aren’t satisfied or registered ladies or lords who won’t use the app. The opportunity for them lies in their growth potential. The weakness of Textthebutler is that they have a theoretical way of operating, but they will now see if it works in reality.

Some tips Guillaume wants to give to other starting entrepreneurs is that if you are convinced, you have to go for it. It’s also easy for a student to start plus it can be combined with child support allowances. Another advice is to participate in contests, this will give you a boost to go even further. Last but not least, the experience is well worth it.

Posted on 11/05/2016